International Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) play an important role in promoting e-Accessibility for ICT product and services. Policy makers can in most cases rely on their local standards organizations which belong to international SDOs for access to their e-Accessibility programs and standards. Examples include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) or the World Broadcaster Union (WBU) whose members include many country level organizations. Country-level members are generally listed in the “members” section on the home page of those organizations (with the exception of W3C).   

Policy makers may request from their respective national or regional SDOs recommendations in the context of the development of national or regional programs and policies to ensure consistency with international standards, an example of which is provided below with Mandate 376 of the European Commission to European Standard Organizations. 

e-Accessibility standards are recent. They appeared first in those countries with a high installed base of ICT devices and services and legislation to protect the rights of disabled persons with disabilities and/or with an aging population. There have been two categories of accessibility standards: those which are a component of a technical standard and those which are specifically dedicated to a specific aspect of e-Accessibility. Some were developed at national level, others within international standards development organizations. 

ISO/IEC JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility (SWG-A)
The variety and complexity of e-Accessibility standards led the JTC1 to form a special working group on accessibility in December 2004. See JTC1 Berlin Resolution 24, Establishment of a Special